Jod Royal Court
Background The Jod Royal Court can trace its roots as far back as the last decades of the Red Rock Kingdom, although most historians agree the majority of the "modern" Jod Royal Court began with the Kingdom of Jod in 3,961 BBY. While the Royal Court has been seen as traditionally loyal to the Jod Royal House, recent tensions as far back as 30 BBY have rocked the court. Internal Organization The Jod Royal Court can be divided into two sections: The Court and the Nobility of Court. The Court makes up the private interpersonal relationships vital to running a well oiled Absolute Monarchy, while the Nobility of Court handles the political social-economical effects on the people through a feudal barony. The Court The Court is the most interpersonal relationship focused and is a collection of His Majesty's Chief Royal Advisers, royal favorites in Camarilla, loyal spies and informants in Retinue, functional Court Appointments, personal Royal Household staff & family, trusted or useful Foreign Princes, pitied Nobility in Exile, and Bodyguards. While The Court can be seen as the most loyal to the Jod Royal House, it is often times the most targeted as well by enemy spies and others adversaries willing to risk turning a Foreign Prince or Nobility in Exile into a secret informant. Camarilla and Retinue are typically far harder targets for such ill repute operations---and involve much greater risk---but their information and knowledge of the Royal Court & the Royal Household is often times worth the risk. Nobility of Court While the Jod Nobility make up the biggest portion of the Jod Royal Court, they also are the less frequently associated with the day-to-day operations of the Royal Court. The nobility make up the "voice of the people" or, more correctly, the interests of the Lords and Lord of the Manors over the people as the nobility served in a feudal barony to the Jod Royal House. The nobility's decisions and voice influences day-to-day operations of the Kingdom of Jod, through the oversight and approval of the Absolute Monarchy. Functionally speaking, the nobility advise the Royal House on the economic, social, cultural, and military challenges of the people under their care and, with both Nobility and Royal House working as one for the good of the people, to find solutions. While on paper this approach looks fair, in reality, the interests of the Lords are served first & foremost and often times their people see very little benefit. Despite the sour note, however, many nobles do see that benefiting the people does benefit them in the long run. Function of the Nobility of Court The Nobility of Court hold sway over large parts of land, territory, and planets in the Kingdom of Jod. The Jod Royal House traditionally holds the most through inheritance of that powerful position. When a Royal Family loses the Jod Royal House and revert back to nobility, inherited lands through the throne are forfeited and given to the next ruling dynasty. The Royal Court: Acceptance Thereof To be part of the Royal Court, one's family must own at least some land on the Planet of Jod. Typically this is considered at least 50,000 acres and to be styled as a Count / Countess or Earl. While independently owned and operated land by Counts & Earls exist, it is exceedingly rare and, when they do exist, such land has usually been given as a reward for military or civil service. Marquess hold at least 100,000 acres and, whole some hold independent lands, usually most Marquess---like Counts or Earls---are under the protection or greater control a Duchy ran by a Duke or Duchess. In the case of a overarching Duchy in control, only the Duke, Duchess, or their appointed representative (typically a highly appointed & trusted Viscount within the Duchy) may attend the Jod Royal Court. A Duchy must be at least 135,000 acres. The Royal Court: Who has the Power and Where While such small Duchies and independently owned land by Counts & Marquess exist, they are extremely rare and often times very special because of their rarity. Most often, Dukes and their Duchy own large parts of land on the Planet of Jod, several colonies off world, and at least a planet or two. Of the 31 major population center planets in the Kingdom of Jod, 10 such Duchies (known as the "Big Ten") own 3 of them each, while the capital planet is shared by all of them, although technically in protection of the Jod Royal House. Of the 86 minor worlds (less then 1 billion population), the planets are divided up 4 per Duchy for 20 Duchies (15 of those Duchies are not owned by one of the "Big Ten"). Most of the colonies are owned by smaller Duchies that also have stake in one of the 86 minor worlds. The Royal Court in Action In practical application of power, the power in the political body of the Royal Court (the Nobility of Court) rests with 1 Archduke, 3 Grand Dukes, and 21 Dukes & Duchess. The Archduke is considered the most powerful person within the Kingdom of Jod, aside from the King & Queen themselves. The Archduke controls the entirety of the military valuable Line Shire and he is considered a bastion of power & support for the Jod Royal House, often times viewed as the "Defender of the Throne". Few nobles dare cross the Archduke with his powerful connections within the Jod Military Force and the House of Royal Intelligence. Scandals Red Group (80 BBY to 70 BBY) --- Formation of a Constitutional Monarchy to Replace the Absolute Monarchy The so-called Red Group was a group of nobility that, after years of no help from the Royal House, decided to take more aggressive measures into their hands in dealing with social-economical problems in their respected territories. While their initial cause for formation was allowed by the Royal House, their increasingly vocal displays of protest caused the group to be disbanded by the Royal House in 30 BBY. While the group never met their political goals (formation of a Constitutional Monarchy, which was ended in 70 BBY), they were able to accomplish several important social and cultural changes to their respected territories: the temporary end of the Mandatory Service Commitment (67 BBY; however, the MSC was reinstated in 30 BBY), the Higher Profit-to-Employee Wage Act (43 BBY), and finally the Political-Family-Military Appointments Act (32 BBY) to elite military academies. For historians, the Red Group events started a chain reaction that---both politically and culturally---start to challenge traditionalist views within the Kingdom of Jod, both for the good and the bad. People's Voice (55 BBY to 30 BBY) --- Formation of a Crowned Republic to Replace the Absolute Monarchy Considered the initial start of and driving social-economical force of the modern day Enlightenment Period, the so-called People's Voice was a radical change in political, cultural & social norms over 25 years---however both demographically small & population restricted---that challenged thousands of years of tradition for the Kingdom of Jod and proposed (but was not successful) a Crowned Republic. While few experienced nobility gave any serious thought to the social movement, they used the movement none-the-less to advance their own political standing within the Royal Court. What these politicians didn't know, was that a handful of their fellow nobles would take these stances one step too far and form The Truth Movement in dark alleyways in 35 BBY. The Purple Letters (26 BBY to 25 BBY) The Purple Letters was a scandal that, generally speaking, was connected to The Truth Movement. Letters were addressed to several members of the Royal Court, first starting with a few then growing to the whole Court by 25 BBY, that addressed social, cultural, and economical divides within the Kingdom of Jod, as well as several scandals within the Royal House itself. The letters asked for people to rise up and revolt. Each "letter" was signed with a purple dot and was randomly written by a new scribe every time. Roughly one year before the attempted coup d'état in 25 BBY, letters were being sent out to citizens around the Kingdom of Jod. While the House of Royal Intelligence (HRI) was eventually able to stop the flow of letters, the embarrassment to both the HRI and damage to the Royal House was done. The Truth Movement (35 BBY to 25 BBY) & Attempted Coup d'état (25 BBY) A now outlawed organization---the Truth Movement---was a out-spoken & militant organization from traitorous behind-the-scenes Camarilla and disenfranchised nobility within the Royal Court that attempted a coup d'état to the ruling Jod Royal Family in 25 BBY. The coup was quietly handled by both the House of Royal Intelligence & Royal Command within 24 hours and aside from a few minor military flash points and violent protests on the streets, most of the coup was never even known about to the general public. It was considered a redeeming effort by Royal Intelligence for their failures in the Purple Letters scandal the year previous. Despite the coup's failed goals, its leaders banished from the Kingdom of Jod to the Prison World of Alkine Nine, the movement's brief attempt to seize power has shaped Jod politics ever since. While most claim the hardliners of the coup attempt are but a decent memory, some in the Royal Court have been accused of participation in, supporting of, or keeping certain political ideologies alive from the failed coup attempt. While no direct evidence has ever been found, certain Truth Movement principles have been kept alive and have gained more attraction from the younger generation (15 year-old's to 25 year-old's) and---at worst---several influential nobles have been accused of at least not stopping such rebellious talk within their lands. King I-class Battlecruiser (24 to 20 BBY) The Jod Royal Court has generally been considered weakened in public opinion and generally not trusted by the Jod Military Force (JMF) for its disastrous decision of the King I-class Battlecruiser in 20 BBY. The Court has since been at odds for years with the JMF, Royal Command, and the Jod Royal House in finding a solution to the problem of the King I-class. Most historians consider the train wreck of the King I-class as a direct snub towards the Jod Royal House after the failed coup by the Truth Movement by those still having sympathies to the movement. Operation Timber (15.5 BBY to 5 BBY) Go to: Operation Timber.Category:Kingdom of Jod